The leaves and twigs of the shrub Catha edulis (Khat) are used quite widely in East Africa and the Middle East as a stimulant-narcotic and anti-depressant. This plant has been found to contain several complex ester alkaloids of the type characteristic of other plants of the family Celastraceae. The goal of this research is to make available for biological testing, through chemical synthesis, cathedulin E-2, cathedulin E-8 and cathidine-D, three representative alkaloids obtained from this plant. Cathedulins E-2 and E-8, are esters of the unnamed pentaol, while cathidine-D is a polyester of the hexaol, cathol. We propose to effect the syntheses of polyols utilizing carvone as a starting material, and employing the type of reactions commonly used in sequiterpene synthesis. The natural alkaloids are ester of acetic, benzoic and nicotinic acids. Following their synthesis, polyols will be selectively esterified, using paths based on the established reactivity of the various hydroxyl groups in related polyhydroxyagarofurans. This project summary contained formulas, drawings, tables or nonkeyable data which are not shown above.